The Philippine Online Chronicles

The investigation headed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) into cases of child prostitution in Boracay have turned up with negative results.

According to Aida Estabillo, labor regional director, the investigation was conducted due to reports from the non-government organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT-Philippines) that several establishments in the popular tourist destination tolerated the prostitution of boys and girls aged 14 to 17.

Two labor inspectors from the DOLE Aklan office visited the sites on October 28 and 29 but did not find anything, said Estabillo. She added that the agency would nonetheless hold seminars and meetings with other local agencies to address the threat of child prostitution in Boracay.

ECPAT’s Situational Analysis of the Effects of Tourism on Children in Boracay released last year detailed how children were put up as part of ‘tour packages’ for sex tourists.

“Boracay attracts not just responsible tourists who compose the majority, but also visitors whose purpose to travel is to exploit and engage in sexual activities involving children,” said the report. “This situation in turn makes other children in Boracay highly at risk due to exposure to the trade.”

The report included interviews with child prostitutes, who said they are usually given P1,500 to P5,000 for their services. They added that majority of "sex tourists" come from Korea, Japan, France, Germany, England, China and the United States, as well as a large number of Filipinos.